Renovations a hit so far for Padres

Peoria Sports Complex Renovations

PEORIA, Ariz.  While the Padres were busy trying to improve and renovate their roster during the offseason, their spring training facility was doing the exact same thing.

The Peoria Sports Complex opened in 1994 as the first Cactus League facility to play host to two MLB teams, the Padres and the Seattle Mariners. After both clubs completed spring training last year, work immediately began on additions and improvements to the teams’ clubhouses, weight rooms, training rooms, hydrotherapy rooms, lunch rooms, media rooms, pitching galleries, and second floor patio spaces. The $15.5 million in renovations to the Padres portion of the complex were unveiled February 1. The facility may look similar from the outside, but it feels like a completely different place once the players walk through the doors. ($15.4 million was spent on similar improvements for the Mariners.)

When the complex first opened, it set a standard followed by the majority of other ballclubs in the Cactus League. Ten of the 15 teams that train in Arizona now share a stadium. However, after 20 years, the Peoria Sports Complex was starting to show signs of age.

“We didn’t just tear it down, we actually went in and methodically renovated a facility,” said Chris Calcaterra, the city of Peoria sports facility manager. “We kept about 10,000 square feet (of the clubhouse) and added 40,000 to the back side of it.”

Though it is technically a renovation, both clubhouses look significantly different, almost brand new. Both teams went from 40,000 square foot clubhouses to just over 56,000 square feet for the Mariners and just under 61,000 square feet for the Padres.

On February 1st, 2014, the Padres and Mariners unveiled their eight month renovation of the Peoria Sports Complex. The Padres renovation alone cost the city of Peoria $15.5 million as part of their 20-year lease agreement with the Padres organization.
— / Shelby Payne/U-T San Diego

The Padres clubhouse now has 8,850 square feet of administrative offices and according to Vice President and Assistant General Manager of Padre Baseball Operations Fred Uhlman Jr.," the reception has been really positive, especially from players and staff that were ...
— / Shelby Payne/U-T San Diego

"The facility is the hub of our player development program as well as our rehabilitation program, it makes it more appealing to players and staff that have been here year-round, said Fred Uhlman Jr., vice president and assistant general manager ...
— / Shelby Payne/U-T San Diego

A big part of the Padres 8-month renovation was the clubhouse. It grew from 40,000 square feet to 60,000 square feet and according to second baseman Jedd Gyorko, "It's a place where everyone wants to meet up."
— / Shelby Payne/U-T San Diego

"It's completely different. It's a great upgrade, I think it was needed, we were kind of crammed in the old one, this place is every bit of a very nice big league clubhouse," said Jedd Gyorko, "I think it's something ...
— / Shelby Payne/U-T San Diego

"The training areas grew larger just to accommodate up to 400 people in that clubhouse at a certain time," said Chris Calcaterra, Peoria Sports Complex Facilities Manager.
— / Shelby Payne/U-T San Diego

"Having access to a hot and a cold tub, when it's sitting out readily available, it's nice to just be able to go in the morning and walk in...sit in the hot tub and get loose," says Padres outfielder Kyle ...
— / Shelby Payne/U-T San Diego

"Everyone is comfortable, you don't have to worry about being on top of each other so it's definitely a place where we want to come to and not a place we have to come to," said Padres second baseman Jedd ...
— / Shelby Payne/U-T San Diego

Peoria Sports Complex now has six practice fields outside of the main stadium. Major league has two full length fields with two half fields and minor league has 4 full length fields.
— / Shelby Payne/U-T San Diego

"We didn't just tear it down, we actually went in and methodically renovated a facility. We kept about 10,000 square feet and added 40,000 to the back side of it," said Chris Calceterra, the Peoria Sports Complex Facility Manager.
— / Shelby Payne/U-T San Diego

“We tried to focus the building and the renovations on areas that would impact the players,” said Fred Uhlman Jr., vice president and assistant general manager of Padre baseball operations. “This facility is the hub of our player development program as well as our rehabilitation program.”

It was starting to feel a little tight and small to some Padre players. Since the renovations were made, the daily routine is a little more pleasant.

“It’s completely different,” 2B Jedd Gyorko said. “It’s a great upgrade; I think it was needed, we were kind of crammed in the old one. This place is every bit of a very nice, big league clubhouse.”

Other additions to the Padres side of things include some recreational activities for the players, as a basketball hoop and a pickle ball court were installed.

“It’s a place where everyone wants to meet up; before everyone was crammed in there and you kind of wanted to get out and get your spacing,” Gyorko said. “Everyone is comfortable. You don’t have to worry about being on top of each other so it’s definitely a place where we want to come to and not a place where we have to come to.”

Calcaterra said renovations were needed now because baseball is different than it was when the complex was first built 20 years ago.

“Baseball has changed; training development programs have changed,” Calcaterra said. “Twenty years ago it was not as influenced (as it is) now by performance centers and the weight rooms and health and nutrition and now it’s all part of the package.”